Life Hurts Sometimes
by Moksgmol
Summary: Wounds happen: on the battlefield and off, physically and emotionally. A series of drabbles and oneshots based on the Pevensie children dealing and coping with life in both Narnia and England, alone and with others.
1. Chapter 1

Peter felt his hair stop ruffling as the train station solidified around him. He noticed with a start that their train was right in front of them, already open and waiting.

'Aren't you coming, Phyllis?'

Peter looked at the boy in confusion before realizing that the comment was directed at his eldest sister and not himself. Susan's face was still shell-shocked and puzzled, so Peter sent the boy a glower before placing his hand on the small of his oldest sister's back and guiding her onto the train. He gestured for Edmund to follow and the boy complied, taking Lucy's hand in his own as they boarded the train.

--

The four stayed silent and contemplative during the journey home, even Lucy, who would have been full to the bursting with words had their moods not been so dampened. By the time they arrived on at their door it was dark but their parents had yet to return; they were to be out late at a dinner party that evening. Peter was going to suggest that Lucy and Edmund head up to bed but Susan broke their silence before he.

'Why not we have a quick tea before bed?'

There was no response but the other three silently trouped with her to the kitchen, leaving their coats and schoolbags on the floor of the front hall. Peter boiled the kettle while Susan fetched out cookies. The youngest two simply slumped at the table, staring dully at the worn top. The cookies seemed to brighten Edmund and even Lucy a little, though not as much as the treat usually would have. Once the four had finished, Susan cut into the quiet again to send the younger two up to bed; Peter gave Lu a hug and ruffled Ed's hair on their way out.

The silence which had hung over the four of them since leaving Narnia seemed thicker now than before the younger two had gone. Peter turned his gaze to Susan, watching her closely as she gathered the empty cups and headed towards the sink, noting the slight tremble in her hands.

'Su?'

'Can you go check on them please, Peter?'

He frowned at the brush-off but complied. He looked in on Ed first and was pleased to see that the boy was already well on his way to a deep sleep, sprawled haphazardly amongst his covers and beginning to snore lightly.

Lucy, on the other hand, was laying in bed, eyes wide open and body seeming impossibly tiny under her blankets. Peter reached out and stroked the side of her face, giving her a smile as he tucking her hair behind an ear.

'Go to sleep Lu.'

She nodded, shutting her eyes. He sighed, brushing his hand across her hair one last time before heading towards the door.

'Peter?' the small voice was plaintive; he stopped in the doorjamb.

'Yes, Lu?' he called back, not turning around.

'Take care of Su, okay?'

Peter took a deep breath and released it into the dark hallway, marveling at how astute his youngest sister had become.

'As best I can. 'Night Lu.'

'Goodnight Peter.'

--

When Peter returned to the kitchen he found Susan still at the sink, hands wrapped around a mug. The sink was full of hot water, coils of steam swirling off the surface, but she wasn't washing; she was simply standing with her head slightly bowed. Peter walked forward, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder. She didn't start, she had heard his approach, but she shook underneath his touch.

'Oh, Su,' he quietly sighed.

She bit her bottom lip, a gentle bobble in her form and a catch in her breath betraying a suppressed sob. He waited a moment but was offered no other response.

He gave a slight tug on her shoulder, 'C'mere Susan.'

She did after a pause, turning into him with a sudden movement. The cup that had been in her hands clattered to the floor as she reached up to grasp the front of his shirt, clenching the fabric tightly in her fingers. Her body was violently racked with wailing, keening sobs that broke Peter's heart to hear. He rubbed his hands up and down her back silently, not shushing her, simply letting her cry, feeling tears prick at the corners of his own eyes. He waited until she was hiccuping her way slowly into quiet and could hear him before starting to murmur softly. She pushed her wet face into his equally wet shirt letting the gentle, low sound wash over her. After a moment she turned her head to the side, letting the rumble from his chest flow comfortingly from him and into her.

'Alright?'

'No,' came the whisper from under his chin.

He was shocked at her painfully honest answer; he had been expecting her to lie, and so all he could do was to hold her tighter. She moved her hands from his chest and wrapped her arms around his body, reburying her face into his front, another sob tearing itself from her throat.

He bent his neck, pressing a kiss into the top of her head, 'I know.'

_There! I sincerely hope that you all love this piece as much as I do! I have another one of these (and a half!) already written, I just need to type them up, so hopefully that won't take me too long. Let me know if you're interested in many more one-shot/drabbles like this one. _

_Reviews make my day!_

_Thanks for reading, Moksgmol_


	2. Chapter 2

The first time Edmund hurt one of his siblings on purpose he had been quite young; five if he recalled correctly. He had pushed Lucy down the stairs in a blind anger – she hadn't stopped crying for what seemed like _hours_ and after his yells for her to stop went unheeded his tiny palms shoved the air right out of her lungs.

He'd been pleased at first, until his eyes met her shocked ones as she tumbled back away from him and down the landing steps. It was then he had felt, for the very first time, the guilt that came with an unjust act.

Peter and Susan, never far away, had appeared at that point. Susan had given him a thoroughly disapproving look, almost more terrible than their mother's, before rushing to their youngest sibling's aid.

When he saw that Lu was okay the wave of relief was so overwhelming that Edmund didn't protest when Peter shoved him into the wall with an angry scowl.

Edmund was almost glad for the retribution.

_I know that this one is short, but it had to be written. I have ideas for a whole bunch more, they just have to be fleshed out a tad (and by that I mean I need to write more than a one-lined idea, haha) Thank you for the kind reviews and thank you to _Aslan is love _for pointing out my mistake. I won't, however, be changing the first chapter as I love it the way it is (that and it wouldn't really work if they all separated for school). I may, however, write a bit of a different take on the scene but with the four of them splitting apart for school. _

_Your constructive criticism and kind reviews are always welcome and appreciated!_

_Moksgmol_


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